Oh the glory of Crockpot. There’s not a thing in my kitchen I don’t regret buying, but one thing I’d run out of my apartment building with would be my crockpot. I love it, and it is one of the best kitchen inventions ever! Meat is always tasty and juicy when it is cooked in the crockpot, soups or stews are the best on winter nights, even desserts are heaven! Ok, enough with the exclamation points.

I just came back from home and was dying to make something new. As I browsed my Nook for chicken stews, I stumbled across a few Cuban recipes. Never cooking anything that ethnic, I was immediately enticed!

This is a very simple recipe and makes your house smell like heaven!

Ingredients: can of tomato sauce, spanish olives, green and red bell peppers, small onion, 2 pounds chicken thighs, 2 tomatoes, russet potato, can of peas, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.

1. First, I chopped the onion and russet potato. Placed those on the bottom of the crockpot. Then cut the bell peppers into strips and placed on top of the potato and onion then diced the tomatoes and placed those with the peas on top of the peppers. This layering, I have found, helps with the aromaticity of the dish.

2. I am very picky when it comes to meat. I cut off almost all of the fat, especially from thighs, rinse well and then place them in the crock pot. I covered them with the can of tomato sauce.

3. Finally, for the flavors! I sprinkled some salt and pepper into the mixture. Add however much  you like, but not too much! Then about 1/4 tsp of cumin and oregano. I enjoy both so they were heaping tsps, but again, you know your palate best. Lastly, I added a handful of cilantro on top of the chicken and allowed to cook.

4. Cook on low for 6+ hours (stirring occasionally). This serves well with some rice, but I ate it as a stew.

Cuban Chicken served as a stew

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.